Chapter 15

Daelyn

I was not expecting him to say that. “Your mother ?”

My heart bleeds for a man I barely know. The enemy of my enemy. The man I’m here to fuck in every way… destroy in every way… for Kaleb. For my freedom.

My brain compartmentalizes every thought racing through my mind while my soul forces my body to step closer to him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he says with a shrug. “You didn’t do it and you didn’t control her. Some moms are just bad moms.”

And some women are just bad women. Like me .

I’d almost caved and told him why I was a bad person earlier. The confessions were on the tip of my tongue. Courage and fear warred in me so violently, I’d detached and let those truths fall into a dark pit in my belly.

If it’s a choice between being honest with a near stranger who made me have the best orgasm of my life or staying silent for the safety of Addie’s life and mine, there is no question which I’ll choose. Dmitri may be a very bad man, or an extremely good one, but none of that matters as far as my deal with Kaleb goes. I have to remember what I’m doing here and why.

Except every time I let myself slip and fall into Dmitri’s silvery stare, my resolve melts a little more. He didn’t have to tell me that his mom hurt him. In fact, it could be a bald-faced lie just to get me to open up to him. But it doesn’t feel that way. He looks genuine as he backs up to give me some breathing room. All night long, he’s been focused on me, my well-being, my pleasure, my safety.

Bad guys don’t care about those things.

Kaleb never did. Even when it seemed that way in the moment, I eventually learned it was a trick. Dmitri hasn’t shifted his machinations in his favor at all.

Yet.

This might be a good way to find out more information about him , I remind myself. Pry. Play along. I should do whatever I have to so I can get this over with. Think of Addie.

She’s why I freaked earlier about my phone. I hadn’t expected to have to give up my cell earlier, but it makes sense for a place like this. However, asking for it back and being denied caused me to panic. I’d only calmed myself down after mentally rehashing that my anxiety is high because I’m out of my depth with a stranger and far from my safe space at home. If I can even call it that, considering Kaleb owns the house I rent.

Wanting to check on Addie is out of habit. I’ve turned into a helicopter with her, constantly hovering, and we’ve been in several fights about it lately. She wants me to ease up, which I’ve tried, but my paranoia always ends up winning and I track her down, call, text, or even show up where she is just to make sure she’s doing okay.

It’s my inner child needing to be saved, I think. What I would have given to have someone care that much for me when I was a kid living with two parents who didn’t want me. Who didn’t take care of me. Who gave me up—one for drugs, the other for convenience. When Kaleb came into my life, he always popped up to check on me.

Oh my god, am I turning into a Kaleb?

My stomach plummets.

Wait. No. I do it from a place of love. He does shit from a place of control. We are not the same. And…

Addie is fine. She’s safe. She’s away from all the bad things .

I need to focus on Dmitri now. He’s my priority. He’s my way out.

“I have a type,” I say, hating how my voice quivers. “My type is dangerous.”

Dmitri keeps his mouth shut as he gives me his undivided attention, which is something else he’s done from the very beginning.

“I was neglected a lot as a child, and it got bad enough that a teacher made a call to CPS. My parents gave me up without a fight when I was seven. My mom’s a junkie. My dad moved on and didn’t want me. So, into the foster system, I went.”

Dmitri’s shoulders slump a little, but he stays silent and gives me time to share without being pushy. I’m not used to that. Kaleb always talked, talked, talked, pushing me for things until I caved or was so tangled in his interrogations that I’d inadvertently spill the beans on something.

Every word, to Kaleb, becomes a weapon he uses against me.

Every word, to Dmitri it seems, becomes the armor he uses to help protect me.

“Any way, I didn’t have it as bad as some kids did in foster care. I was beaten if I didn’t obey or keep my room spotless, but following their rules wasn’t hard. I just had to keep my mouth shut and be good.”

He swallows while his jaw muscles flex.

“I’ve always been into guys who are dangerous. The ones who don’t care about authority or getting in trouble. They are the trouble.” Really, it’s only Kaleb, but he’s taken up most of my existence, so here I am. “I seem to always be drawn to the bigger, badder monster.”

Dmitri’s eyebrows twitch.

“I think that’s why I’m confused with you,” I admit. “You’re my type.”

“A big, bad monster.”

Well, when he says it, it sounds less threatening.

Dmitri calmly approaches me again. My heart kicks at my chest when he wraps his arms around me in an embrace that cocoons me in his body heat. He cradles the back of my head with one hand while the other splays out over my lower back. The top of my head rests perfectly under his chin and I feel so secure here with him. “Thank you, Daelyn.”

Why on earth is he thanking me?

“You just gave me a very precious gift,” he says, as if reading my mind. “Thank you for trusting me enough to open up like that.”

His words swirl around in my head, weaving through the edges of all the broken pieces of me until they join like Frankenstein.

It feels good to say these things out loud. I don’t have friends, and I rarely tell Addie things about me because I’d rather she not dwell in the past. Besides, her history is worse than mine. The last thing I’ll ever do is traumatize her just to get something off my chest. She doesn’t deserve burdens like that.

“Thank you for listening,” I finally say, surprising us both. “And if the offer still stands, I think I want to stay the night.”

Dmitri pulls back so he can look down at me. “Of course, I still want you to stay.” He cups my face with gentle hands that are strong enough to crack bones.

Like I said, I’m always drawn to a bigger, badder monster.

I’ve gone from Kaleb to Dmitri. From a bad boy to a killer.

Great.

It’s just pretend , I remind myself. This isn’t real. He’s not actually into you, you’re just a temporary toy and you’re not really into him, because he’s just a means to an end.

Except it feels real when he holds me in his arms like this. It tastes real when he kisses me. It sounds real when he talks to me.

I’m in so much trouble.

“Are you hungry?” he asks.

“Umm. Maybe a little.”

His warm smile makes me relax even more. “How about I call room service?”

“There’s room service here?”

“Honey, this is an elite sex club. There is everything here.” He pulls out his cell and makes a call.

“How come you get your cell, and I don’t?”

“Because I work security here and you don’t.” He winks and goes into commander mode. “Hey, it’s D. Can we get a tray of apps brought up to room seven?” Dmitri moves his cell away from his mouth and looks at me. “You want wine or anything?”

I shake my head.

“Burger? Steak? Tofu? What?”

“Ummm, maybe fries?”

He tips his cell closer to his mouth. “Double fries too. Yeah, and a steak, medium rare.” He looks at me again. “You want cheesecake?”

I shake my head. “I’m not much on sweets.”

He smiles like he can relate. “That’s it for now. Thanks, man, I appreciate it.” Dmitri hangs up and tosses his phone on the bed. “How about we get you out of that outfit and into something more comfortable?” He points at the hem of my dress. “May I?”

I nod and he lifts my dress up and over my head.

“God damn,” he says playfully. “I’m not much for desserts either, but seeing how fucking good you look, I’m suddenly getting one hell of a sweet tooth, Firefly.”

“Yeah, well, I’m high in fat.”

“Even better.”

Damn him for making me blush.

I let him unhook my bra. My panties have been gone since the staring contest.

“Turn around. Let me see my prize.”

“Your prize ?” I burst out in laughter. “You didn’t win a damned thing tonight, buddy.”

“Agree to disagree.” D’s gaze grows hungrier as I spin around to show off my ass.

“Stop right there.”

I halt.

“Can I touch you?”

Why does he keep asking permission for every little thing? “Yes.”

He runs his rough hands over my ass cheeks. “Mmm. Still cherry red from the kitchen.”

My heart flutters.

“About that…” I turn around to face him again. “Nice detail with the knife.”

D’s grin goes a mile wide. “You liked?”

No, I loved . “Meh, it was okay.”

His laugh shoots adrenaline into my system. “You’re a terrible liar, Daelyn.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You loved it.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Your pussy loved it.”

“She’s a kinky bitch. Don’t shame her.”

D puts a hand over his heart. “I would never.”

I believe him. And I really liked that when he gave me an element of danger during our cat-and-mouse game, he used the back end of the knife against me instead of the sharp side. The thrill was there, without the threat of injury or death. I’ve had it the other way around before. One star. Do not recommend.

In fact, Dmitri does a lot of things I’ve had done to me before, only his way works where the others didn’t.

Stop comparing him to people in your past. That’s not why you’re here, Dae .

I keep dropping into these over-analyzing tailspins and it’s got to stop.

Dmitri points at the bathroom door. “How about I start up a bath for you?”

Confusion has my brows scrunching. “Why?”

“Let me take care of you tonight, Firefly.” He kisses my forehead, which makes me feel precious.

I… don’t know what to say except, “Okay.”

“Good girl.” Dmitri leaves me standing naked in the bedroom and a few seconds later, I hear water running.

“Do you like bubbles?” he calls out.

“No.”

“Oils? Bath salts?”

I quietly enter the bathroom to see him bent over, holding his hand out under the faucet to check the water temp. “Bath salts would be nice.”

As he pours a scoopful into the water, someone knocks on the door.

“I got it,” Dmitri says. “Now get your fine ass in this tub.”

“Yes, King.” Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m smiling so cheesily right now. My actions are giving me whiplash tonight.

The bathroom smells like lavender. He even lit candles. Towels are stacked neatly on floating shelves, and there’s a basket of salts and bath bombs next to the free-standing tub. The Monarch seems more like a swanky hotel than a sex club.

Not that I’ve ever been to a sex club before.

Or stayed overnight at a swanky hotel.

Dmitri comes back holding a bowl of fresh fruit and clucks his tongue at me. “And here I thought you’d already be wet for me.”

I roll my eyes and bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling.

How is it so easy to be with this guy? Maybe it’s because I got something off my shoulders earlier telling him a little about my past. The way he just accepted it and listened shouldn’t have me feeling so at ease, but it does. He didn’t pry or judge or give me some bullshit response.

I saunter over and pluck a grape out of the bowl. “That was fast room service.”

“I’m a priority here,” he says with a big grin. “Which means you are, too.”

I hate how my heart and pussy just swooned.

“If you want me to, I’d love to feed you this fruit while you relax in the bath.”

This man is spoiling me rotten. “Are you not going to join me in here? The tub’s definitely big enough for two people.”

“I will if you want me to.”

He’s way too accommodating. As much as I want to be suspicious, playfulness takes the reins instead. I pluck a strawberry out of the bowl next and run it between my breasts, over my nipples, down past my belly button, and hold it over my pussy.

Dmitri’s gaze traces all my moves until it stops at the joining of my thighs.

“Got a sweet tooth now, big guy?”

He drops to his knees. “Fuck yeah, I do.” The man’s tongue drags over my fingers, obscenely. Then he licks the sides of my pussy before finally shoving his face into the strawberry so he can lick my sweet spot before eating the fruit out of my hand.

Sweet mother of wild heathens, he’s too sexy for his own good.

Dmitri looks up at me, chewing slowly with humor in his eyes. “I’m still hungry,” he declares on his knees.

I spread my legs a little more. “Eat some more.”

His pupils blow wide. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed this reaction happen before with other men. Dmitri can’t hide his attraction. It’s visceral. Primal.

And it’s all for me.

My breath shudders out of me when he licks my pussy like it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted. Before I know it, he’s lifting me up, hooking my legs under his arms, cradling my ass in his hands, and bracing my back against the tiled wall. I can’t care about falling when his tongue fucks me this good.

He nuzzles against me harder, grinding against my clit. Then, with a grunt, he repositions me enough to free one of his hands so he can finger me, too.

I’m dangling on the edge of madness, over six feet off the ground. The tub is going to overflow. Our food is getting cold.

I don’t care.

Right now, I don’t care about anything other than another release. “Harder.”

He fingers me roughly, his tongue sinfully swirling and flicking my clit. A tightness coils deep inside me, pressure building quickly. Slamming one hand on the ceiling, the other holding the top of his head against me, I grow dizzy with need. If I come like this, I’ll fly apart.

I need that.

I need—

He sucks on my clit hard enough to make me detonate. My pussy clenches as I scream through an orgasm that has Dmitri digging his fingers into my ass cheeks to keep me from falling and possibly breaking my neck. Adrenaline courses through my system, making my head spin.

Even after the wave of pleasure subsides, Dmitri seems intent on savoring every drop he’s wrung out of me. Then he slowly, carefully, lowers me back to the floor.

“Having dessert first is the only way to enjoy a meal.” The wicked, satisfied smile on his face is stunning. With a little pull on my arm, he escorts me over to the tub and turns the faucet off before helping me climb inside. “Do you still want me to join you?”

“Yes.”

D nods once and unbuttons his shirt. The candlelight flickers all over the room, casting his muscles into shadows and soft light. He’s beautiful. Peeling his shirt away, he turns around to hang it on a towel hook and my heart skids to a stop when I see his back.

Oh my god . “What is that?”